Don’t Sell Yourself Short

This is just a quick thought I had today. It’s not directly about music or drums but it is about business and perhaps about you personally.

I am a firm believer in the customers sets the value of your product but I’ve come to learn that you don’t let the customer dictate how you run your business.

Obviously you want to fulfill the customer’s expectations but I believe how you do that is your business.

Certainly you always want to be opened for suggestions and always looking for ways to improve by sharing in the experiences of others. But you have to run your business the way that you feel is best for your business. You have to be confident in your decisions.

The customer wants you to run it the way they feel is in their best interest. Believe me a vast majority of them only have their own interest at heart. The days of partnerships between supplier and customer appear to be gone.

If a customer wants you to run your business in a manner that best suits them but hurts you in any way then be confident enough to push them away. You have to think win/win.

And if they become such a large percentage of your business that you feel you can’t afford to push them away then I suggest you start working on an exit strategy. At least end the relationship on your terms because it’s already over.

Once they sense you are in need of their business to sustain your business they will drive you into the ground. The more dependent you become on their business the deeper you will drive yourself into the ground.

Even your long time and trusted employees will see your desperation, your dependence and realize the future is coming to an end. The good ones will bail which will expedite your demise.

If you were looking to only pocket some quick cash and then move onto something else at least inform your employees. They will appreciate the honesty and not speak as harshly about you during and after your demise. They may even respect what you are doing or the fact that you’re being honest with them. Most of them were honest with you.

I guess what I am saying is yes the customer sets the value but they should set a value that you both can agree on. So don’t sell your company, your product and especially yourself short.

Don’t chase dollars, chase dreams. Stay true to the belief that got you started and the true dollars will come to you.

This was kind of a self indulgent piece today but then again aren’t they all.